The future looks bright for UWCC! We’re pursuing new research initiatives, moving to a new home within UW-Madison, and undertaking ambitious goals related to research; cooperative development; campus impact; and diversity, equity, and inclusion. Read more below.
Cooperative Governance Research Initiative
In 2021, we launched the Cooperative Governance Research Initiative (CGRI) to generate the data cooperatives need to benchmark, reflect on, and improve their governance practices. Our first CGRI survey yielded enthusiastic responses from 500 cooperatives. Learn more about our findings and how to become a Friend of CGRI here.
Our New Home: UW-Madison Division of Extension
We are excited to announce that in January 2023, UWCC will move to the UW-Madison Division of Extension!
Extension’s mission is to connect people with the University of Wisconsin. Extension employees strive to teach, learn, lead, and serve in ways that transform lives and communities. UWCC’s values and programs align closely with Extension’s mission and embody the Wisconsin Idea. Our research informs our education and outreach efforts; our relationships with new and established cooperatives guide our research questions and outreach programs; and our cooperative development efforts create sustainable enterprises that improve the lives of Wisconsin residents.
UWCC’s move to Extension is mutually beneficial—UWCC will have a secure home in a division that shares our values, approach, and public service orientation; and Extension will gain a center with strong stakeholder support and a track record of delivering highly valued research, outreach, and education to cooperatives across the country.
2022-2024 Strategic Plan
The move to Extension also positions us well to make progress toward the four goals in our 2022-2024 Strategic Plan:
- Goal 1: Build and sustain mutually beneficial partnerships with targeted UW affiliates to further education, outreach, and research initiatives that strengthen the cooperative community.
- Goal 2: Grow and leverage our specialized skills and highly curated tools and resources to strengthen existing cooperatives and facilitate the creation of viable cooperatives that meet emerging community needs.
- Goal 3: Develop a research agenda that is tightly integrated with the Center’s outreach, education, and cooperative development work and that positions the Center as a leader in cooperative thought and practice.
- Goal 4: Challenge ourselves and others to advance equity and justice through internal practices and in the communities we all serve.
We cannot wait to discover how we will grow in our future home and find new ways to serve the cooperative community.